The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 21, 2005
Filed:
Dec. 13, 1999
Michael S. Shaffer, Lynnfield, MA (US);
Himanshu Mahendra Thaker, Summit, NJ (US);
Charles Albert Webb, Iii, Rumson, NJ (US);
Lesley Jen-yuan Wu, Parsippany, NJ (US);
Michael S. Shaffer, Lynnfield, MA (US);
Himanshu Mahendra Thaker, Summit, NJ (US);
Charles Albert Webb, III, Rumson, NJ (US);
Lesley Jen-Yuan Wu, Parsippany, NJ (US);
Agere Systems Inc., Allentown, PA (US);
Abstract
A communications system comprises a physical layer device (PLD) including a PLD send interface which, in turn, includes PLD parallel information outputs and at least one PLD control output. The system also includes a logical link device (LLD) which comprises an LLD receive interface which, in turn, includes LLD parallel information inputs and at least one LLD control input. First parallel communications channels connect the PLD information outputs to respective LLD information inputs, and at least one second communications channel connects the at least one PLD control output to the at least one LLD control input so that control signals are sent from the PLD to the LLD out-of-band from information signals. Accordingly, control speed is enhanced, and information throughput efficiency is not compromised. The PLD may further include a PLD receive interface including PLD parallel information inputs and at least one PLD control input, and the LLD may further comprise an LLD send interface including LLD parallel information outputs and at least one LLD control output. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the PLD and LLD are operable in a push-push configuration. Another advantageous feature of the invention is that the interfaces may be symmetric.